The past two postings of mine on this site have covered the Learning Process.  It is a concept I discuss in my book, Inspire Tomorrow.  There I only wrote one chapter on the process and wanted to expand on each phase just a little more.  The first week, we learned about the struggle phase.  Last week, we went into the capable phase.  This article is going to dive into the comfortable stage.

When learning a new skill or task you are going to spend time in the struggle phase of not knowing what you are doing and in the capable phase of being able to get by but with questions.  The comfortable phase is the last stage you will go through for a task that you actually learn.  It is the phase where you understand what is going on and can get through a vast majority of the things thrown at you.  If it is learning a new database, you are able to navigate it without having to ask what to do next.  You are even able to use the resources within it to be more efficient.

To get to this stage can be accomplished only with practice and the ability to learn.  If you refuse or are unable to grasp the concepts, you will not make it here.  When you ask a question or encounter a problem and learn how to get through it, you are settling into this phase.  If you are one of those people who refuses to learn from your mistakes or admit you don’t know something, you will not make it here.

In this stage you are capable and comfortable to get through the task without running to ask for help.  In martial arts, it is when I learned a new form well enough to practice at home, without fear of messing up the moves.  I struggled to learn and became capable with practice.  Finally, I was comfortable on my own.

A good indicator you’re in this phase is that people in the capable phase begin to ask you questions about the task.  Welcome to the big show!

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